The men’s road race is all about endurance and forming a peloton plays a key role in how cyclists conserve energy.
WASHINGTON — The men’s road race got underway in the second half of the Paris Summer Games.
Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands and Olympic time trial gold medalist Remco Evenepoel of Belgium were among the favorites ahead of the men’s road race at the Paris Games on Saturday.
What does peloton mean?
While some may relate the name to the stationary exercise bike, the peloton has a different meaning in cycling.
The peloton refers to the large group of riders during the race.
Forming a peloton helps make pedaling easier as it reduces wind resistance for the cyclists, according to the Olympics official page. The tactic is referred to as “drafting” and plays a big role in conserving energy.
The road race is all about endurance and the last hundred meters become crucial to winning the race.
In Paris, the men’s and women’s races will likely be decided by finishing circuits at Montmartre, the hill in the northern part of Paris that is popular among artists and offers grand vistas of the city.
The sharp climbs and uneven cobbled surfaces will make for a difficult test for the riders.
How long is the Olympics road race ?
The men’s road race covers roughly 170 miles while the women’s race, which kicks off Sunday, covers 98 miles.
Both races begin at the Pont d’Iena, the bridge at the base of the Eiffel Tower crossing the Seine, and head west into the French countryside on identical routes.
The routes that the men and women traverse over several grueling hours and hundreds of kilometers of racing will pass through some of Paris’ most iconic historical and cultural landmarks.